MP Report

The Fourth of July is Independence Day in the United States. It was also on July 4th this week when it was reported that the Liberal Government had agreed to apologize and pay $10.5 Million to Omar Khadr. For those of you unfamiliar with Omar Khadr, he was sentenced to 40 years in prison for participating in an al-Qaeda sponsored war crime after admitting to killing US Army combat medic Sgt. Christopher Speer.

This decision by the Liberals to potentially pay in excess of $10 Million to Omar Khadr has created the largest amount of negative feedback and in many cases outrage, of any issue I have come across during my time in elected office. The questions I most frequently am asked is why did the Liberals offer this deal to Omar Khadr and what can be done to stop it?

At this point the Liberals have yet to formally confirm or explain the reasons behind this reported $10.5 Million payment. What we do know is that the Supreme Court was of the opinion that Omar Khadr’s human rights were violated during the time he was in prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and that Canadians officials were aware of this.

It should be noted that the Supreme Court rulings on Omar Khadr’s human rights violations did not include any financial compensation. As a result Omar Khadr had commenced legal action against the Canadian Government suggesting it should be held responsible for the treatment he received at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For reasons yet unknown rather than vigorously fight this lawsuit it is reported that the Liberals have instead offered $10.5 Million and an apology to Omar Khadr to settle this legal claim.

In a related action, the widow of the US Army Combat medic killed by Omar Khadr had filed a legal action in 2015 against Mr.Khadr and was ultimately successfully awarded $134.2-million in damages. It has also been reported the widow may file a claim in Canada in an effort to have the $134 million judgement enforced in Canada thus potentially impacting the payment of the $10.5 Million to Omar Khadr.

So back to the original question, what can be done to stop this? In this case, only the Liberal Government can stop this agreement and related $10 Million payment from going forward. If that were to occur the legal case would most certainly continue. Most of the documented involvement of Canadian officials was between the years 2003 and 2004 under the Liberal Governments of former Prime Ministers Jean Chrétien and later Paul Martin. If this case were to move forward it is conceivable the former actions of these governments would be heavily scrutinized.

For the record, I was a member of the Conservative caucus in the previous 41st Parliament where the Conservative Government staunchly opposed the payment of any funds to Omar Khadr. It should also be pointed out that some do support the payment of these funds to Omar Khadr and have applauded the Liberals for offering a settlement as opposed to more litigation. My question this week is do you support or oppose the $10.5 Million payment to Omar Khadr?

I strongly oppose this payment of tax dollars. The payout would cause me to loose confidence in our counties Government and their ability to Govern.

Reply

Edward Gullickson

7/6/2017 02:35:35 pm

This FARCE needs to be fought hard and this Scum-Bag should never see a dime, in fact he should still be in jail.
He should have been shot on the spot, end of problem.

Reply

Wanda England

7/6/2017 06:55:06 pm

This is ludicrous, everyone you talk to feels the same way! Time to get rid of Trudeau. Where is the $ coming from to pay this animal?

Reply

Ted

7/6/2017 07:08:04 pm

I strongly oppose the settlement and strongly oppose recent grants of millions of dollar in aid to terrorist countries. I support our military and Canadians in need of assistance in the face of ever increasing cost if living.

Reply

Chris

7/10/2017 10:12:05 pm

And how are we going to deal with the war crimes and acts of terrorism carried out by the USA ? A nation who remains outside the international convention on war crimes despite the rest of the worlds collective endorsement for this convention.

Very very strongly oppose any kind of compensation whatsoever to this terrorist. Trudo has to go. He is an emmbarisment (spelling)to all Canadians

Reply

Gioia Morris

7/6/2017 09:37:40 pm

I strongly support the payout!!

Reply

carol smithson

7/9/2017 11:13:51 am

Omar Khadr was 15 years old when captured, according to the United Nations a child soldier, yet Canada did nothing. This I think is the issue. A fifteen year old is easy to manipulate, especially by a father. We have granted refuge to child soldiers from African countries, who killed their parents, children etc. but they did not kill an American. Khadr was tortured and imprisoned from the age of 15, he will never recover from that. He only admitted to the charges when that was his only option to leave Guantanamo Bay prison. He is a Canadian citizen and it was the responsibility of our Government to provide him with protection.

Reply

Enzo smith

7/10/2017 09:34:57 pm

Glad there is people who thinks differently .... lots of people full of hate in here

Paul Byrne

7/7/2017 05:52:12 am

Dan Albas. It is your party that endorses torture and turns a blind eye to all of the US malfeasance and fraud. While you pay billions in subsidies to rich oil companies, you worry about a $10 million payout to a Canadian citizen that your government did nothing to protect. If you spoke out about all of the the illegal wars started by the US, you might have the ear of people that actually think for themselves, not just these foolish people that spout Conservative talking points and grin at seeming intelligent. Your government wanted to take away our freedom in the name of a few terrorists - while smearing entire countries and regions with baseless innuendo. You support the US making bombs - 80% of all war profit goes to them - yet when a Canadian participates in that war, you turn on him. It is sad that you condone torture.

Reply

Larry

7/7/2017 09:47:25 am

It is really hard to leave a comment without actually loosing my composure! This is the most disgusting betrayal of our military men and women. With all their life long struggles with PTSD and other disfigurements from war, they will never see 1/100th of what this S.O.B. gets. Makes me want to puke.

Reply

Jim Patterson

7/7/2017 03:43:28 pm

As an 81 year old loyal Canadian, I am embarrassed to be a "Canadian" today. Trudeau has shamed us all by his sneaky, underhanded, and cowardly handling of this event!

Reply

WildBill

7/8/2017 04:20:27 am

As a former military member myself you can bet that people will not let this fiasco go quietly...I hope every person with an ounce of compassion for our troops walks in the next voting booth and removes this dis respectful Government from his appointment. I will be first in line...you can bank on that Justin !!!!
No wonder EVERY SINGLE THING we do in this country is TAXED, look how you spend it !!!

Reply

john Rasmussen

7/8/2017 12:58:38 pm

I do not agree with this pay-out to Khadr. The case should have been fought to the highest level in the courts and let them decide the award on it's merits. To roll over and pay-out early offends myself to the very core of all the values I hold as a Canadian.

Reply

Patrick

7/8/2017 04:00:16 pm

Complete rubbish. This man should never have been in Canada. He is a terrorist.

Reply

Lucy Savill

7/10/2017 12:54:26 pm

I absolutely do not support this payout...I have never been so angry at a government before....and there is plenty to be angry about...we bust our butts trying to make a living and end up paying more in taxes in one form or another every year....only to see it handed over like a gift ...more than outrageous

Reply

John Porter

7/10/2017 05:44:14 pm

Canada is paying $10 million to a terrorist because his charter rights were violated. Well I don't care what the supreme court says. If an individual is captured on the battlefield, in the process of a firefight, in a foreign country, fighting for a terrorist organization, they have voluntarily given up their rights. Oh, he was fifteen. Is the solder he killed less dead because he was 15 at the time. Is the soldier who lost an eye in the attack any less blind in that eye because he was fifteen? By the way, he didn't just agree to a plea deal but apparently tried and found guilty as well.

Reply

R Lechner

7/11/2017 04:19:57 pm

I think this payment is prudent, and the right thing to do.
Two previous governments, including yours, Mr. Albas, left a boy we should have recognized as a child soldier to languish in a prison the U.S. established at Guantanamo precisely because they knew they were not going to respect the human rights of those they incarcerated there. Canada did not do right by ignoring the mistreatment Omar received. There should be a penalty for this as a warning to future Canadian governments to not violate basic rights of Canadians.

Reply

Leave a Reply.

Subscribe to the MP Report

Sign up now to get Dan's weekly MP report emailed directly to you! ORSign up now to get a monthly MP Report mailed directly to your home.